Program sections

Sheridan's four-year Honours Bachelor of Early Childhood Leadership program prepares you to become a leader in early childhood education and care.

Outstanding career preparation

This program focuses on developing progressive leaders in early childhood education and care (ECEC) and child advocacy. You'll learn to design and manage an inclusive, positive, learning-centred environment, and you'll gain the critical thinking, business and interpersonal skills necessary to fulfill a leadership role and direct innovative practices in ECEC.

What you'll learn

Theories of human development.

Early childhood pedagogy and program models.

Curriculum design and implementation.

Roles and responsibilities of leaders in early childhood.

Research, analysis and evaluation.

Organizational structure and management.

Hands-on experience

In this program, you'll use technology and hands-on application in a curriculum room that emphasizes, encourages and fosters best practices in early learning based on current theoretical research. The program also includes three field placements and one 14-week work-term internship, totalling at least 910 field hours.

Additional information

This program includes the theory, research and practice in ECE and human development as well as the knowledge and skills required for curriculum and pedagogical leadership and organizational management of early childhood programs. You'll be able to guide and lead curriculum and pedagogy in Ontario's early childhood settings.

The use of laptop computers in the classroom enriches the learning opportunity as you access the latest research and educational trends through Internet exploration. The use of laptop computers encourages collaborative, team-based learning within the classroom while offering you the chance to develop the technical skills needed for the competitive and increasingly technology-driven world.

Field placements

The three field placements – in Semesters 2, 4 and 7 – and work term internship may be completed in a variety of employment areas according to availability and based on the student’s interest.

Students have the opportunity to find their own Work Term Internship, paid or unpaid, which may include international co-op positions. These may include, but are not limited to, licensed child care centres, nursery schools, Ontario Early Years Centres, and various programs such as early education, Full Day Early Learning Kindergarten, family and community resources, parenting/prenatal and infant mental health, special needs programs as well as atypical placements such as an international placement in Hong Kong or elsewhere.

In order to enter field placement agencies, students will be required to provide a current, acceptable and valid police record check for criminal offences (vulnerable sector check) and current acceptable record of immunization.

Students will be required to provide these documents directly to their field placement officer prior to the start of the placement and at their own expense.